Ukraine and Russia ‘exchange drone strikes on energy grids’: Latest

A gathering of nationwide safety advisors “centered on peace” is about to happen in Ukraine this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned.

It’s set to be adopted by a gathering of the army and of European leaders and the leaders of the Coalition of the Keen.

“Politically, virtually every part is prepared, and it is very important work via each element of how the ensures will perform within the air, on land, and at sea – if we reach ending the struggle. And that is the important thing aim for all regular folks,” Zelensky mentioned in a put up on X.

In its day by day report, Ukraine’s air power mentioned defence forces had downed or suppressed 176 of 205 drones concentrating on the nation in a single day.

It mentioned hits by 24 strike drones have been recorded at 15 areas.

Throughout an August assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Donald Trump reportedly interrupted discussions to make remarks about “lovely” ladies from Ukraine after which organized for former Miss Ukraine to talk with the Zelensky over the telephone, based on a brand new report.

Simply days after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the U.S. president met with Zelensky and 7 different European leaders within the Oval Workplace, the place discussions concerning the ongoing struggle between Ukraine and Russia took a extra lighthearted flip.

Amid dialog, Trump reportedly interjected that “Ukrainian ladies are lovely,” citing his time overseeing the Miss Universe pageant, based on the New York Instances.

Ukraine’s prime negotiator in US-brokered peace talks, Rustem Umerov, mentioned he met with Turkish International Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday in Ankara.

Umerov, who can be Ukraine’s safety council secretary, mentioned the 2 males mentioned the negotiation course of and subsequent steps, with explicit consideration to humanitarian points and the return of Ukrainians held by Russia.

Ukrainian drones struck vitality and industrial targets throughout the Russian areas of Krasnodar, Tatarstan and Kaluga in a single day, native officers mentioned on Thursday, and the Ukrainian army confirmed it had carried out two of the three assaults.

Within the southern area of Krasnodar, particles from a drone hit the Ilskiy oil refinery in Krasnodar, inflicting no casualties however igniting a fireplace that was later extinguished, native authorities mentioned.

Within the oil-rich Volga River area of Tatarstan, round 1,400 km (870 miles) from Ukraine, Russian media cited the native governor’s press service as saying that an vitality storage facility within the metropolis of Almetyevsk had been hit, inflicting a blaze that was later put out.

A 3rd strike brought about a fireplace at an unnamed industrial facility within the city of Lyudinovo within the Kaluga area, southwest of Moscow, native governor Vyacheslav Shapsha mentioned in an announcement.

The Ukrainian army confirmed in an announcement that it had struck the services in Krasnodar and Tatarstan. Kyiv has been intensifying strikes in opposition to Russian vitality infrastructure in latest months, aiming to chop off Moscow’s sources of financing for its army marketing campaign in Ukraine.

Russia mentioned on Thursday it had extracted and decoded a file from a Ukrainian drone downed earlier this week that it mentioned reveals it had been concentrating on a Russian presidential residence and that it could hand over the related data to the USA.

Moscow accused Kyiv on Monday of attempting to strike a residence of President Vladimir Putin in Russia’s northern Novgorod area with 91 long-range assault drones. It mentioned Russia would overview its negotiating place in ongoing talks with the US on ending the Ukraine struggle.

Ukraine and Western nations have disputed Russia’s account of the alleged tried strike.

In an announcement posted on Telegram on Thursday, Russia’s Defence Ministry mentioned: “Decryption of routing knowledge revealed that the ultimate goal of the Ukrainian drone assault on December 29, 2025, was a facility on the Russian Presidential Residence within the Novgorod area.”

“These supplies will probably be transferred to the American facet via the established channels,” it added.

The Wall Avenue Journal reported on Wednesday that US nationwide safety officers had discovered Ukraine didn’t goal Putin or considered one of his residences in a drone strike. Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the report.

Ukraine has denied finishing up such an assault and described the accusation as a part of a Russian disinformation marketing campaign meant to drive a wedge between Kyiv and Washington after a weekend assembly between Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned that Russia’s vacation season assaults confirmed Ukraine couldn’t afford delays in air defence provides.

“(Our) allies have the names of apparatus which we’re missing. We count on that every part agreed with the USA on the finish of December for our defence will arrive on time,” he mentioned, with out clarifying additional.

Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to barter a peace framework to finish the almost four-year struggle. Each leaders have mentioned they’re near an settlement, however thorny points round post-war management of territories stay.

A Russian drone assault broken energy infrastructure in a number of Ukrainian areas in a single day, President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Thursday, whereas Moscow accused Ukraine of finishing up a lethal new 12 months assault in a Russian-controlled a part of Ukraine.

“On New Yr, Russia intentionally brings struggle. Over 200 assault drones have been launched onto Ukraine within the night time,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Zelensky mentioned vitality infrastructure in seven areas throughout Ukraine had been focused.

Australian authorities try to verify studies {that a} nationwide was reportedly killed whereas combating alongside Ukrainian forces in opposition to Russia.

The person, recognized in social media posts as Russell Allan Wilson, was killed on 12 December in Ukraine’s jap Donetsk area, based on native media studies.

In an Instagram put up on 19 December, a person figuring out himself as a US military veteran mentioned Wilson had been killed throughout fight and had chosen to stay in Ukraine regardless of the dangers.